Covering Climate Now FAQs
Check out CCNow's frequently asked questions. Have a question not answered here? Feel free to reach out.
About CCNow
What is CCNow?
Organized for journalists, by journalists, Covering Climate Now is a global collaboration with over 500 news outlet partners reaching billions of people. We support, convene, and train journalists and newsrooms to produce more and better coverage of the defining story of our time. CCNow was co-founded in 2019 by Columbia Journalism Review and The Nation magazine, in association with the Guardian and WNYC as our lead media partners. Learn more about us here.
Why was CCNow founded?
Scientists have consistently warned that major changes are urgently needed to address the climate crisis. But climate change remains a chronically underreported issue and audiences want more coverage about what’s happening and what can be done. Unless news outlets around the world dramatically improve and expand their climate coverage, there simply will not be the public awareness and political will needed to tackle the crisis.
To learn more about the establishment of CCNow, see these articles by our co-founders, Mark Hertsgaard and Kyle Pope: “A New Beginning for Climate” and “The Media Are Complacent While the World Burns.”
How is CCNow funded?
CCNow has been supported by generous grants from numerous foundations and individual philanthropists. Current funders include: Actions@EBMF, Green South Foundation, Michaux Family Foundation, Park Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Waverley Street Foundation, and WOKA Foundation. CCNow’s fiscal sponsor is the Washington, DC–based 501c3 The Fund for Constitutional Government. We are seeking additional funding to sustain the collaboration. Please contact CCNow executive director Mark Hertsgaard at mark@coveringclimatenow.org for more information about donating.
Can I donate monthly to support CCNow?
Yes! We welcome one-time and monthly donations. Thank you for your interest in supporting CCNow.
Does CCNow have job openings or fellowships?
Check out our Jobs page to see if we have job openings and fellowship opportunities. CCNow is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in its hiring.
Can I interview someone from CCNow?
For media inquiries and interview requests, please contact us at editors@coveringclimatenow.org. To see news coverage featuring CCNow, visit our media page.
Partnership
What benefits does CCNow offer?
CCNow offers a range of benefits, many exclusively for partners, including customized training for journalists and executives at partner news outlets, events to help improve climate reporting and climate knowledge, participation in editorial collaborations, republication opportunities through our Sharing Library, entrance into our Slack community, and more. By joining CCNow, newsrooms signal to their staff and audiences that they’re committed to giving climate change the attention it demands. Learn more about our benefits here.
What does CCNow ask of partners?
We ask partners to join in the mission of improving the caliber and prominence of climate coverage that follows climate science and work towards creating an all-of-newsroom strategy that responds to climate like the emergency it is.
What are your guiding editorial principles?
CCNow urges reporting that raises up the voices of those most impacted by climate change, focuses on justice, and rigorously explores solutions, while supporting a community of journalists trying to do the same by sharing best practices and lessons learned.
Who can join CCNow?
News outlets and individual journalists are welcome to apply to join CCNow. All who join must be editorially independent, non-partisan, non-governmental, and not involved in activism or advocacy work. Eligible news organizations — including news agencies, radio stations, trade publications, and other journalistic publications — will have two or more staff people and regularly publish original, factual, reported work. Joining CCNow and accessing its benefits are free of charge. Apply to join CCNow here.
What is the CCNow Slack community, and how can I join?
The 2,000-plus reporters, editors, producers, hosts, and executives in our Slack community are dedicated to sharing ideas, resources, and advice; developing opportunities for collaboration; and learning together. All journalists are welcome to apply to join whether as an Individual Journalist or as a member of an existing partner outlet.
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Is CCNow taking pitches?
CCNow does not currently accept pitches. However, we do facilitate reporting and pitches between our partners. If you have an idea that you would like to share or discuss, please contact us at editors@coveringclimatenow.org.
What are the Covering Climate Now Journalism Awards?
The winners of the 2024 CCNow Awards will be announced Tuesday, July 9. Submissions for next year’s awards will open in early 2025.
Have a question or idea you’d like to share?
Please reach out to us at editors@coveringclimatenow.org. Need background on a climate-related topic? Looking for a newsroom to collaborate with? If you have thoughts about how the collaboration can help journalists and newsrooms better cover climate change, let us know!